MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Las Vegas Raiders’ brain trust — owner Mark Davis, general manager John Spytek, and minority owner Tom Brady — sat together at Hard Rock Stadium on Monday night, all eyes on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. They left with a clear answer: the kid can win.

Mendoza led the Hoosiers to a 27-21 victory over Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship before 67,227 fans, securing the program’s first national title. His defining moment came on a fourth-and-4 quarterback draw in the fourth quarter, when he plowed over a Miami defender and rumbled 12 yards into the end zone, putting Indiana ahead 24-14.

“If they need me to take shots, in the front or the back, whatever it is, I’m going to die for my team out there,” said Mendoza, who finished 16 of 27 for 186 yards while absorbing constant pressure. A large bruise ran down his right forearm after the game.

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti praised his quarterback’s competitive fire. “Let me tell you — I know Fernando is great at interviews and is the All-American guy. But he has the heart of a lion when it comes to competition. That guy competes like a warrior. We have a really good quarterback who played his best when the chips were down.”

Mendoza was named Offensive Player of the Game, largely for leading scoring drives after each Miami touchdown. The Raiders, coming off a 3-14 season, hold the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL draft. Mendoza isn’t a perfect prospect — his arm was limited by constant pressure — but he showcased the toughness and leadership the franchise desperately needs.

“We talked about it a year ago,” Mendoza said. “We’re going to be national champions. This is something we believed in. We did it. We did it.”